$2.4 Million Available to Improve Mental Health Services for

American Indian/Alaska Native Children, Youth and Families

This is the second issuance of the "Circles of Care" grant program. Approximately $2.4 million will be available for 7 to 9 grant awards. The average annual award will range from $250,000 to $350,000 per year for a period of up to three years. American Indian/Alaska Native Tribal governments and urban Indian organizations as defined by the Indian Self Determination Act, PL 93-638, and the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, PL 94-437 are eligible for funding. Collaboration with tribal colleges and universities is encouraged. Previous grantees in the "Circles of Care" program are not eligible.

Grantees will be required to document strategies for building a cohesive and effective mental health service system for children and adolescents under the age of 22 and their families that draws on tribal, federal, state, local and private resources, including traditional healers.

"This grant program is designed to provide tribal communities with tools and resources to design systems of care for children and families with mental health service needs," said Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. "An important focus will be to integrate traditional health methods within conventional service systems."

"This program will help put tribal and urban organizations in a good position to secure funding to implement the service systems they design for their communities," said SAMHSA Acting Administrator Joseph M. Autry III, M.D.

Bernard S. Arons, M.D., Director, CMHS, added, "What we seek in these funding opportunities is the building of partnerships in Native American communities to provide mental health services to children and youth. The involvement of culturally appropriate healing within those partnerships is very important."

Applications must be received by May 10, 2001. Details regarding all SAMHSA funding opportunities will also be published in the Federal Register and may be found on the SAMHSA website at www.samhsa.gov as they become available. The CMHS Clearinghouse (800-789-2647) will have complete application kits. Interested parties should request a copy of SM-01-011. Questions on program issues should be directed to Jill Erickson, Project Officer, at 301/443-1333, jerickso@samhsa.hhs.gov. Grants Management questions should be directed to Gwen Simpson,301/443-4456, gsimpson@samhsa.hhs.gov.

The "Circles of Care" grant program is included in the Interagency "Mental Health and Community Safety Initiative for American Indian/Alaska Native Children, Youth, and Families," which began in FY 2000. This program promotes Indian youth mental health, education, substance abuse-related services, and concentrates on juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention. These culturally-sensitive programs are being coordinated within the Department of Health and Human Services by the Indian Health Service and SAMHSA's CMHS, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Other Federal agencies providing assistance and guidance include the Department of Justice, the Department of Education, and the Department of the Interior.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead federal agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services in the United States. Information on SAMHSA's programs is available on the Internet at www.samhsa.gov. 

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